TN Sales Tax & other TN info (Johnson City, Greeneville: transplants, heat pump)

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by alleycat

We don't yet.

I saw an interactive map the other day that showed every state's tax on cigarettes, beer, sales, and gas. As expected, Tennessee was in the highest category for sales tax. I was surprised that Tennessee was low or fairly low in the other categories (considering we don't have an wage income tax). California was high in all categories, and NY wasn't far behind, if I remember correctly. I can find the map if you're interested.

Oh that would be cool to see!

The high sales tax surprised me until I heard there was no income tax. Now, it all makes perfect sense! And the sales tax isn't much higher than some areas in NY. We don't have a food sales tax. But our income tax MORE than makes up for it!

I was talking to my cousin in South Carolina last night. She said regular gas was $1.68 a gallon. I almost fell of my chair. Last night I saw it as cheap (LOL) as $2.13 and as high as $2.29 a gallon. I know there's some difference for the delivery cost, but I also know that we have one of the highest gas taxes.

And god forbid you're a smoker here! You'll need a job just for your smokes. Marlboros at the Hess cost $6.39 a pack. And there's another increase coming soon.

[alleycat]

Here's the tax map I mentioned earlier:

The best and worst state for gas, cigarettes, beer and sales taxes - MSN Money

I was wrong about California being high in all categories.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by alleycat

Unfortunately, we have a few people that still do that here too. It's worse along some rural roads.

As someone mentioned, there is an "adopt a road" program in Tennessee. A group will "adopt" a road and ever so often go out and pick up the trash along the road.

Funny, my pretend "Uncle Bill" worked for the Montgomery County Highway Department for 47 years . . . the road in front of my mother's house was adopted by the county Highway Department itself. Wonder how that happened? :-)

We have an Adopt-A-Highway program here. It's not really on highways though. LOL And most of the roads that have the signage are super littered. the civic groups who pay for it should ask for a refund.

Hmmm....Uncle Bill had some "friends"

[alleycat]

Someone was asking about the electric rates per KWH for Cookeville the other day. I just got my electric bill. This month the rate for Nashville Electric was 10-cents per KWH.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by alleycat

Here's the tax map I mentioned earlier:

The best and worst state for gas, cigarettes, beer and sales taxes - MSN Money

I was wrong about California being high in all categories.

Thanks! That's a very interesting map. The sales tax portion is kind of deceiving, but it did warn you that it doesn't include county or city taxes on top of the state tax.

I found the beer tax to be very interesting. Of of the sin taxes that one is the strangest! Certain Southern states pummel the beer, but are easy on cigs. I know they're the ones growing the tobacco....must not be brewing the beer.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by alleycat

Someone was asking about the electric rates per KWH for Cookeville the other day. I just got my electric bill. This month the rate for Nashville Electric was 10-cents per KWH.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????????

I had to look at mine...it's 30.21 cents per KWH plus a few taxes and then there's the delivery fee which comes out to $18 MORE than the entire amount for the actual electricity used including taxes.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by ss20ts

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????????

I had to look at mine...it's 30.21 cents per KWH plus a few taxes and then there's the delivery fee which comes out to $18 MORE than the entire amount for the actual electricity used including taxes.

Knoxville is 8.506 per kwh, with $6.09 tacked on. My water and sewer bill is $43 this month. It goes up to about $60 when I have to water plants.

[alleycat]

The electric rate I quoted was for the total, tax and everything else. TVA does have a "fuel adjustment rate" now; they started it last year when energy costs were rising daily.

My electric bill was less than $80, but I live in a fairly small house; it's just me and a cat, the weather has been mild, and I haven't done much cooking. My heating, cooling, and hot water are all electric. I don't have gas, so that's my total for home energy for the month.

[ss20ts]

What a difference! We have gas and electric. It's too cold and expensive here to heat with electric. You'd go bankrupt after a week. My whole bill for this past month is $246.53 and it wasn't even really cold!

[alleycat]

hiknapster brings up an interesting point. Water and sewer rates will probably vary more in Tennessee than any other utility or maybe even property tax. Some water utilities have fairly low rates, others have fairly high rates. They explain the difference in all sorts of ways; personally I think the explanations are all a dog and pony show. Here in Nashville, Metro Water explains the higher rates by saying there's a lot of rock in the area and it cost more to run water and sewer lines, and also that they have to deal with storm water runoff . . . they don't mention the fact that the water department has always been a place to do someone a political favor by getting their brother-in-law a job with the department.